Chapter 394:Next challenge

Chapter 394: 394:Next challenge

He returned to the barracks shortly before lights out and lay down. His body hurt plus his core still felt tired. The moment the lights shut off, conversation gradually died.

Antony stared into the darkness.

Silver crossed his mind again, then Ravenna. He hoped she was sleeping too. More importantly, he hoped Silver was somewhere capable of sleeping.

Despite finally getting into the academy, he felt guilty although he knew he wasn’t to but he couldn’t help it.

When he had approached Silver and Ravenna, there had been a sort of magnetism about them although he had first approached them to get away from Delta two, it felt as though they had both somehow become his second family.

His mother had been more than happy when he had told her about them and encouraged him to make friends with them since she believed his intuition and clearly wanted him out of the house. This had been the perfect way to get him to join the academy that she had been trying to get him to join.

He was quiet grateful for that. When he had gotten his powers, most of his so called friends had distanced themselves from him because of how abnormal it had seemed contrary to all the other types of powers.

But he himself hadn’t even know the beast had been genderless, the subtle mockery and bullying had really made him ashamed but he had eventually come to terms with his powers.

You’re unique, his mother had told him after a month of every, don’t let anyone decide your worth.

Seeing his mother so worried had been a jolt and the fact that he was more talented than most of his peers just made it even better.

Meeting Silver and Ravenna, plus how they had accepted his power so easily and how fascinated they were with it had helped him a lot during the journey.

Now he was only a step away from the dream the couple had built together and had welcomed him with both hands into it but now... one was missing.

He took in a long shaky breath, as he tried to push any negative thoughts in but he couldn’t push the guilt down even if he tried.

Antony closed his eyes, trying to get rid of his thoughts since over thinking wasn’t going to help him.

He just had to believe Silver was somewhere in the academy and it would, probably, come true.

The next thing he knew, every light in the room came on at once.

"Candidates, wake up."

Antony opened one eye.

"No."

The speaker continued.

"0430. Morning preparation begins now. Assembly in thirty minutes."

Someone groaned while another candidate rolled out of bed.

He pulled his blanket over his face.

"This academy is evil."

The candidate beside him was already putting on his boots.

"You can sleep after you fail."

He removed the blanket.

"That’s unnecessarily motivating."

His body protested the moment he sat up. Yesterday’s bruises had stiffened overnight. His core felt better, though.

Antony washed his face with cold water, dressed, checked his equipment and ate the quick breakfast provided downstairs.

At 0457, he entered the assembly yard.

The sky was still dark. Large floodlights illuminated the concrete. Five hundred and three candidates stood in marked areas. Nobody looked cheerful.

Antony found Rebecca several rows away. He raised a hand the moment she noticed him.

She nodded.

At precisely 0500, an officer stepped onto the platform.

"Good morning."

Silence answered him.

The officer looked across them.

"I said good morning."

Five hundred tired voices answered.

"Good morning, sir."

Antony’s contribution came half a second late.

The officer didn’t seem impressed.

"If you are incapable of functioning at this hour, I recommend becoming capable."

He heard someone mutter nearby, "Wonderful advice."

The officer continued.

"Yesterday evaluated you individually."

The main display activated.

503 CANDIDATES REMAINING.

"Today does not."

The number disappeared, a new heading replacing it.

DAY TWO - SQUAD EVALUATION

Antony became more alert.

"Real operations are rarely conducted alone. Your strength means little if you cannot coordinate it with others. Your judgment means little if nobody can understand what you’re doing. Your survival means considerably less if the rest of your unit dies because you refused to communicate."

Antony listened.

"Candidates will be randomly assigned into squads averaging five members."

Names began appearing across the screens.

"Squad composition is final."

Antony searched through the numbers and names until his appeared.

SQUAD 17

ANTONY BRAILLE - SOUL CAPACITY 13 - RANK 2

GARETH HOLLER - SOUL CAPACITY 15 - RANK 2

REBECCA VALE - SOUL CAPACITY 11 - RANK 2

MIRA VOSS - SOUL CAPACITY 9 - RANK 1

LEON HARROW - SOUL CAPACITY 13 - RANK 2

Antony smiled.

"Rebecca."

Across the yard, she found him. Her expression suggested she wasn’t sure whether that was fortunate or unfortunate. He decided it was fortunate.

Candidates reorganized, squad Seventeen assembled near a numbered marker. Rebecca arrived first and Antony joined her.

"Apparently you’re stuck with me."

"Apparently."

"Try to hide your excitement."

"I am."

The next person arrived.

Gareth Holler was tall, broad-shouldered and looked considerably more awake than Antony felt. His equipment was high quality without being decorative, and the sword at his side showed enough wear that Antony immediately dismissed the idea that Gareth was simply a wealthy boy carrying expensive gear.

He checked the squad marker.

"Seventeen?"

He nodded.

"Unfortunately."

Gareth looked at him.

"Why unfortunately?"

"No reason. Morning personality."

Rebecca sighed.

"Ignore him."

"That’s what everyone tells people."

Gareth’s attention moved to the display.

"Antony Braille. Thirteen."

"That’s me."

"Rebecca Vale. Eleven."

Rebecca nodded.

"Gareth Holler. Fifteen."

Antony smiled.

"We noticed."

Gareth looked toward him. Antony expected arrogance; instead Gareth shrugged.

"It’s a number."

That answer made him like him slightly more.

The fourth candidate arrived.

Mira Voss was shorter than Rebecca, with dark brown hair tied tightly behind her head and no obvious heavy weapon. She looked at the four of them, then at the display.

"Please tell me none of you are going to start arguing about Soul Capacity."

Antony raised a hand.

"I promise to wait at least twenty minutes."

Mira stared blankly at him.

Rebecca spoke.

"He thinks he’s funny."

"I am funny."

Gareth smiled faintly.

The final member arrived.

Leon Harrow was quiet, solidly built and carrying a heavy single-edged sword. He looked at the group.

"Seventeen?"

"Yes," Gareth answered.

Leon nodded.

"Okay."

That was apparently all he had to say.

Antony looked toward Rebecca.

"I like him."

Leon heard.

"I don’t care."

He smiled.

"I like him more."

An academy quartermaster approached their squad.

"Seventeen. Equipment station."

They followed him. Several crates had been prepared for the trial. The quartermaster opened theirs.

"Squad equipment allocation. One standard academy rifle." He placed it down. "Four magazines. Limited ammunition."

Antony’s eyebrows rose.

"Only four?"

The quartermaster looked at him.

"Do you intend to miss?"

He immediately shut up.

"Five approved melee weapons. Choose according to compatibility."

Rebecca immediately took the spear. Leon chose the heavier sword. Gareth took the standard sword. Mira selected the combat knife. Antony picked the axe, tested the weight and frowned.

"No."

He exchanged it for the shorter blade.

The quartermaster continued.

"One emergency medical kit."

Leon took it.

"Water."

Distributed amongst them.

"One communication device."

Gareth reached for it, nobody objected.

"Physical map."

Mira took that.

"One data-unit containment case."

Gareth accepted it.

Antony looked around.

"No food?"

The quartermaster pointed toward compact ration packs beneath the water.

Antony smiled.

"I knew you cared."

The man closed the crate while rolling his eyes.

"Next squad."

Antony stared at him incredulously.

"Everyone here has the same personality."

Rebecca nudged him.

"Move."

They stepped aside.

Gareth looked around.

"We should establish basic roles before deployment."

Antony nodded.

"Agreed."

Gareth pointed toward Mira.

"You took the map quickly."

"My ability is sensory."

That interested everyone.

Gareth asked, "What kind?"

"Hearing and environmental detection. I can amplify my senses using core energy. Movement, direction, certain vibrations. I’m better at tracking than fighting."

Her tone became slightly defensive at the last part.

Antony noticed.

She had a soul Capacity of nine and a Rank One, probably spent yesterday surrounded by people with larger numbers.

Gareth didn’t react negatively.

"Then you’re our navigator and forward detection."

Her eyes widened.

"You’re fine with that?"

"Why wouldn’t I be?"

"I’m Rank One."

Gareth looked at her.

"Can you read a map?"

"Yes."

"Can you detect things before the rest of us?"

"Usually."

"Then your rank doesn’t matter for that job."

Mira’s shoulders relaxed slightly. Antony glanced toward Rebecca. She had noticed too. Gareth wasn’t an idiot, that was good.